Divine Curse
by EmboldenRose
Summary: The council wanted her to wed a powerful man to ensure the protection of the realm. Dark visions incessantly weave through tormented minds-manipulating, luring, deluding. Now they have to decide; should the enemy of an enemy always be trusted as a friend?
1. Prologue I: Beginning

**Illusions**

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><p><strong>AN****: I-I don't know... I was bored? =/**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

Sprinting towards a momentarily distracted Shao Kahn, Rain quickly shot out a high pressure stream of water in his direction – but quickly jumped back when the emperor's infamous war hammer was swung downwards towards him, slashing at the liquids. Dodging, the Edenian back flipped, gripped the top bit of the weathered throne, and crouched behind it.

Panting. Sweating. Trembling. He plunged all of his strength into his battered legs, pushed the chair forwards with all of his might and kicked as hard as he could towards the emperor. Raising his right hand above his head, a blast of lightning shot through the ceiling, hit the chair, and caused it to explode into millions of tiny pieces that shot throughout every area of the throne room.

Sensing distraction, the purple clad fighter quickly clasped his bloodied hands together, chanted a few words and within seconds, waves of a mini tsunami smoothly flowed past him and crashed into Shao Kahn. Lunging forwards, he quickly grabbed hold of the hammer from the ground, spun it a few times, sprung high up into the air, and brought it downwards towards the emperor – but Kahn had predicted this and quickly rolled out of the way.

But stepping forwards once more, Rain deftly slammed his heel upon his opponent's chest, angled the weapon so the hammer was parallel to his target's battered face, and without hesitation, thrust it downwards with all of his might – eyes scorching with pure malice as he would at last have his revenge.

But the ghost of his smirk vanished as instantly as it had began to take its place upon his lips when his hands suddenly froze; hammer only a mere inch away from Shao Kahn's face, shaking violently as he fought against the powerful force that held him back.

Snarling, he quickly ducked a roundhouse kick from a random ninja, submerged through a watery portal and instantly emerged on the other side of the room.

Retreating, he wearily slumped against a cracked wall – panting and glaring spitefully at the small group that was now surrounding the weakened emperor. He would have summoned another lightning bolt to strike down these fools, but the continual use of his powers have drained almost all of his energy to the point of him almost having to rely on anything solid to support his fatigued self.

He also realised that there was no point in fighting now, seeing that there was absolutely _no_ way in which he'd be able to defeat all of these fighters at once. But what angered him the most however, was the fact that he should've known that the emperor wasn't going to play fair to begin with. Upon challenging him hours ago, the huge warlord had given his word that no warriors of his would interfere in their battle. And though ever so doubtful about this, that thought was quickly pushed to the back of his mind once they had begun to fight.

That is, until now of course as he gallingly studied the warriors who seemed more than ready to lay their lives down on the line for this wretched piece of scum.

Kahn was starting to say something. But Rain's mind was too much of a blur that he decided to give in to the haziness and not listen. It was probably one of his usual rants about how he's going to make him pay for his betrayal, how slow and painful his death would be, etc – _scaaary... _

Finally, after a quick scan of the dimly lit room, he quickly made a dash to the nearest open window and, without looking back, gracefully dove out of it. Seeing that he was going to die there, he could only think of retreating, find a safe spot somewhere far, and work on a much better strategic plan when next they would meet again.

The others were probably thinking about giving chase, but right now Rain's only main focus was to land safely onto the ground before he was smashed into a pulp. So using every last ounce of energy he may have still left, he drew his arm in an arc motion below his feet, formed another high pressure stream of water to slow down his fall, and landed safely on to the hard metallic ground.

Panting, the former general of the Outworld army staggered back onto his feet, gazed at the familiarity of what he used to call home one last time, and instantly made a run towards the nearest cracked pallid wall of the fortress.

Slashing and hacking at any soldiers who got in the way, he finally made it to one, wall ran along its length, leapt over the barriers, gracefully landed onto the sizzling hot sand outside the fort, and spared no more glances behind him as he sprinted into the distant west.

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><p>The living forest.<p>

The Edenian native winced slightly when the thick pulp of the mashed up herb burned into one of the many wounds on his left shoulder. But allowing its prickly contact for only a few more minutes, the once excruciating pain would gradually subside into a faint soreness and the once leaking gash would steadily close, leaving only an angry looking scar on his already battle worn build.

Tending and resting, the hours passed slowly for the fatigued male before he finally got up and slowly walked towards a notorious flesh eating tree. Laying a chapped palm upon the rough bark, he muttered a quick word of thanks in his native tongue before quickly withdrawing back.

If it was one thing he still recalled from his 'father's teachings, it was respect for the environment. It didn't matter whether he was famed for his proud and aloof nature. He didn't care how the sufferings of lesser fortunate people had very little effect on him. The fact that he was probably the perfect exemplar of treachery towards his own realm and people mattered very little to him. All he knew was the fact that gratitude should always be paid towards the earth and trees for guiding, aiding and_ saving_ him on numerous occasions during his extremely long life.

Then again, that was probably one of the _fewest _things that he actually still remembered from his 'father' from when he was extremely young (five to six years of age). If his 'father' hadn't died so quickly – no – if he hadn't been _murdered _so early, he'd have still been around, continually filling him with countless of untold wisdom he'd have reserved for his only 'son.' If he was still around, perhaps it would've been possible for Rain to have been moulded into a completely different character-shaped man.

But alas, fate was not something to be tempted with. Some people would either learn it the easy, or of course, the dreaded hard way. And in Rain's case, it was more frustrating and confusing than merely _hard._

Though he couldn't really remember all the moments he had spent with his dad – especially since most of his childhood memories were repressed due to the times spent within the Edenian Resistance Force – the fact of him mysteriously disappearing from his life all of a sudden had left a massive tear in his young mind. And though he had never been able to comprehend why or even try settling onto a decent guess, he never tried to push himself to unravel the mystery case.

But that all changed of course, when Shao Kahn had decided to lead his notorious army of men and Tarkatans to take over Earthrealm only four years ago. It was still a wonder, Rain thought, that during that time, he had never thought at how his life could change forever – and whether it was for the better or worse, he didn't really care about it, not that it did matter that much to begin with.

And like the pompous general he had always been, Rain had promptly led the attacks successfully upon the most significant areas of the realm; places of worships, military bases, shelters, etc. And after carrying out various assaults upon those who had dared to resist and fight back, Rain finally came face to face with the last person he had expected to see.

Edenian, Princess Kitana.

And that was exactly when his world had changed forever.

Whether it was for the better or worse, the mystery remained even now...

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><p><strong><span>AN:**** No love at first sight. ^^; **

**Revelation in the next chapter, if you are um interested hehe. Thank you very much for reading if you have got to this point. :) Have a pleasant rest of the day! **


	2. Prologue II: Memories

**Illusions**

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><p><strong>AN****: Ramadan Mubarak! :)  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Prologue II<strong>

"_And the reason for me to believe you is...?" Rain cocked a mock eyebrow at the Edenian princess who, despite her fighting stance, had her steel fans lowered to the charred ground; a clear sign that she wasn't going to fight him unless she had no choices otherwise. _

"_...simply because '_you'_ were in the same boat as '_me'_," Kitana bluntly 'finished' the sentence for him._

_Rain rolled his eyes at that before turning his head to face the burning debris of a wasted temple, waving a hand for her to continue nonetheless. _

_Upon facing each other a moment ago, Kitana –suspiciously– hadn't seemed to share the same hostility look in her eyes towards him, even though it was truly obvious that he should be loathed for his blatant involvement in the unprovoked attack upon the cherished realm of her greatest allies. But instead, she had simply laid her signature weapons upon the ground before her and nonchalantly admitted that she didn't want to fight him. _

_Taking that as a heavy insult, Rain had instantly demanded to know why as his chances of confronting her in a fair fight was immediately shattered. If he was to attack a defenceless opponent, that would be sheer cowardice. _

_And while the rest of the fighters clashed and fought incessantly, the princess – seemingly oblivious to the chaos around her – had launched straight to the point that Shao Kahn, the man whom Rain was supposedly going to serve till the end, had apparently murdered his father. And though shocked by the revelation, the general didn't show it as he simply narrowed his eyes, hinting to her that he would also not fight her for the time being. _

"_On the day my father, King Jerrod, had surrendered his realm to Outworld following his ten consecutive defeats in the Mortal Kombat tournament, Kahn had instantly had Edenia flooded with his soldiers, invading and merging the realm with his own," she spoke quickly. "but of course, there was still the Edenian army who dared stand up against the assault even though they knew that Kahn would make quick work of them," she paused slightly, holding his gaze unfaltering before continuing. "And the general of that army Rain," Kitana continued more slowly this time, "was your father."_

_Rain began to grow agitated. Just what in the Netherrealm was she getting at? Sure, she did mention that Kahn had killed his dad but for her to know all of that was just... _odd_, even for a princess. It seemed that she had more knowledge about his own father than Rain thought. Nonetheless, his eyes narrowed even more and he heaved his shoulders slightly, hinting to her that he was still waiting for her to say more. _

"_You were still a child then," Kitana spoke a little softer, "and so was I – but I was _there_. I saw it happen. General Kumagae_ _handed you over to one of his elite soldiers who wrapped you in his garb before riding away from the battlefield. Your father had decided to stay for the sake of his duty... and for the sake of Edenia... but he-"_

"_-was killed by Shao Kahn," Rain finished grimly, his insides seething at the revelation. _

"_Yes," Kitana replied quietly. "I was with mother. Running across the fields in search for shelter. The palace wasn't a safe place for the royals anymore. We had to escape..." a look of sadness flashed in her brown eyes for a fleeting moment. "I shouldn't remember any of that. I was too young, but the sight of your father smuggling you away to safety..." she left the sentence hanging. _

_Rain took the time to digest everything properly, and clenched his fists angrily as he felt his rage burn to the very core of his being. Nonetheless, he looked up and glared at Kitana again, fresh suspicion enveloping him once more. _

"_Why are you telling me this?" he asked, forcing the tone of his grating voice to lower slightly. _

_The princess instead bent forwards, snatched her weapons from the ground, brought her legs high up from behind, and with the bladed fan in her left hand, spun her body around and sliced at a pair of Tarkatan's legs with her right. The moment the mutant started to screech as it collapsed, Kitana had readjusted her stance next to it, brought a leg high up into the air and slammed it downwards, digging the sharp length of her high heel deep into its throat, staining the royal blue of her footwear with the crimson blood that rapidly pooled out of the creature's ruined vessels. _

"_My lady!" a male voice yelled close by. Both warriors spun around and saw an Edenian soldier running towards Kitana, clutching his right arm as it bled profusely. "Princess, we can't hold much longer, we-" he paused as his attention drew to Rain. "Y-You!" he screamed and was about to unsheathe his sword when Kitana quickly stepped between them. _

"_Peace," she said as she touched the tip of the sword's hilt, pushing it back into its case. "Just speak."_

_Sending the purple clad fighter a wrathful glare, the soldier quickly spoke, "Tarkatans are flooding through the portal in much greater numbers. Thousands at once. Most of our men have died trying to fend them off. We won't be able to hold them off much longer. Liu Kang and Sub Zero have come to our aid but it's still not enough," he paused slightly, sucking in a breath before continuing." And now there is news that a second portal will be opened. Much bigger so more powerful tarkatans will be able to spill into the realm."_

"_More powerful tarkatans," Kitana echoed quietly and the soldier gave a shaky nod, gaze constantly shifting over to Rain. "Princess, wha-" he began to ask but Kitana quickly interrupted him. _

"_Rally a warrior or two with you to search for the sorcerer behind it. You must stop him before he completes the spell and opens the portal," she stared deep into the confused man's eyes, signalling the end of the discussion. "Go now soldier." _

"_B-Bu-" he almost raised a finger at the treacherous foe of Edenia but at Kitana's glare, he thought better of it. "A-As you wish ma'am," he sputtered at last before dashing off into the battlefield once more. _

"_You didn't attack me when you had the chance," Kitana remarked, turning back to face the silent Rain. _

"_You have high hopes that I won't be a threat to you," he replied scathingly._

"_No," Kitana said, meeting his gaze once more. "I just know what it's like to lose a father."_

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><p>Grunting, Rain unclasped his hands and spread them wide apart. A blue glow started to pulse in the air in front of him and widened with the rhythm of his hands' movements. Finally, once the glow had enlarged to the right size; head to toe in length and at least a metre in width, Rain picked up his sword from the forest floor and stepped right through the portal.<p>

A strong gust of hot breeze welcomed him once he set foot into the familiarity of his current dwelling; the southern craters. Since he couldn't go back to his actual homeland, knowing the risks he could undergo if faced with the natives there, he could only think of this place to shelter.

Here he decided, would be the perfect place for him to hone his skills and powers. This was the ideal place for him to work on new techniques and manipulate with new spells. During his stay in Outworld, he had ventured throughout the cosmic land, searching and learning new spells and dark magic from powerful mages.

And with the knowledge earned, he had decided to experiment them with the powers that he already possessed; using illusions to make projectiles of water seem twice in size, seemingly filled with eerie looking creatures that could send the bravest of the brave trembling in fear, using spells to create portals rather than the limited teleportation within small areas, summoning sets of lightning streaks together at once rather than the one on its own, and so on.

Walking over to the edge of the cliff he was on, he crouched, turned his body to face the opposite direction, gripped the hardened soils of the crumbly surface, and began his decent. A couple of steps later, he dug the length of his sword into the cliff's softer face and gracefully slid down.

Upon landing in a few more seconds, he would instantly set himself into his training mode. He would use the desert trees as his training dummies, lash at them with furious spells, end the day with smug satisfaction, take shelter within a cave, sleep off the pain and hard work of the day, wake up the next, resume, and grow stronger.

With each day that passes, he will increase in strength and stamina. Using what he already knew, he will continue to experiment, create new techniques, spells, combos – he will never stop until he's fully satisfied with his progress. He will continue to become stronger, faster, tougher, until he's finally convinced himself, that he could _finally _have his well overdue revenge.

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><p><strong>AN: These were more like introductory chapters. Next chapter will involve Kitana, I think. Thank you very much for reading once again. :)  
><strong>


	3. Chapter 1: Dreams & Deception

**Divine Curse**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I own nothing.<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Dreams &amp; Deception<br>**

The illustrious courtyard. After performing a few more hand strokes and leg sweeps, the Edenian Princess finally sheathed the ancient blade back into its case and straightened her posture, waiting patiently for the others to follow suit and bowing respectfully to her.

Returning the gesture smartly, Kitana finally dismissed the young trainees, signalling the session's end for the day. As the groups disbanded sensibly from the training ground, Kitana turned to one of the guards behind her, approached and handed him back his weapon, adding; "Your shift ends now, Yasuo. You've done well."

The guard bowed low. "Thank you, Your Highness," and he made his way to the exit of the courtyard, back to his barracks.

The rich Edenian sun dipped low in the sky, forming a perfect crescent flare around the mountainous regions in the west and the birds twittered vibrantly, as if ending the day with a bright prayer of thanks. Some water splashes here and there as the waterfall that sided the bridge crossing the courtyard to the grand gardens cascaded with never-ending gusto and the steady hums of passersby drifted off as night slowly neared the realm.

Walking over the meticulously carved bridge, Kitana slowly made her way across the gardens, standing within seconds at the back door of the palace. Nodding politely at the two guards who stood on each side, she entered the large structure, and instantly made her way towards the large staircase in the centre of the grand foyer.

Upon reaching the door to her room on the top floor, an instant wave of exhaustion washed over her and she quickly entered. Changing into her rosy nightwear and dropping rather ungracefully onto her king-sized bed, she pulled the blanket over her and stared up at the peach coloured ceilings.

The queen and Jade weren't in the palace so it was just her and the maids and servants. Apparently Sindel had been summoned by Raiden somewhere within the realm and wouldn't be back until evening tomorrow. Jade, obviously as her bodyguard had to go with her and also wouldn't be back until the next day.

She had to admit, it felt rather lonely without them. Normally at this time, Jade and she would be on the balcony together, chatting away amiably about silly or important things. And Sindel – well, even though she never really involved herself with the pair, knowing of her presence within the palace grounds was enough for the princess.

And then, there was obviously Raiden. Without the slightest speck of warning, he could just pop right in front of you and instantly request that you aid him in something. Like this morning for instance, when Sindel was summoned and simply left without a word. If that was a couple of years ago, Kitana would've showered her with endless wishes and safe returns but now, in the face of reality, all she did was embrace her mother briefly and leave the rest in fate's hands.

Kitana felt sleep tug at her eyes more forcefully this time and she unwillingly let them shut. She didn't want to drift into subconscious mode yet. She didn't want to wake up in the morning or in the middle of the night feeling confused again. She didn't want to feel crazy or daft. But like always, she couldn't help it. She would just have to go through it again just like the other nights. So, helpless as she was to the power of nature, Kitana finally allowed her consciousness to shut down and she instantly fell into a deep and unpleasant slumber.

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><p><em>Knee deep in red water. Pulling at a piece of green cloth from a nearby branch of a flesh eating tree. Stumbling forward – trying to escape the unnatural yet familiar force that pushed and pulled her back. Whispers everywhere. Deep, soft, mellow and harsh, all united, the words literally grazed her exposed skin. <em>

_But she couldn't feel anything. No pain, no fear, no nothing. It was just her and the feel of the force and the sounds of voices. _

_Drained from the constant effort, she finally let go. _

_Falling back into the deep water. Catching glimpses of a dark visage from a grey tree. It looked familiar somehow but stopped thinking once she went deep underneath._

_It was just her and the feel of the force now. _

_Deeper and deeper she went, but was relatively calm about it. She was just in an empty void. Falling slowly into oblivion. Nothing to cling on or look at. _

_It was just her and the darkness now..._

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><p>And then the dream would stop.<p>

Gritting her teeth angrily, Kitana got out of bed and walked over to her window. It was still night time she remarked sulkily.

Surprisingly, that dream didn't last as long as those of the past few nights which usually lasted till morning. Nonetheless, it still didn't fail to leave her feeling confused and frustrated. And though none of them has ever made sense in the slightest, Kitana sometimes surprised herself by wondering whether those dreams could be signs.

She quite remembered Sindel sometimes having dark dreams too. A thump or a thud from upstairs and Kitana would end up witnessing her mum on the ground, at the window, or simply facing the wall. And though she's never heard her yell or scream in her sleep, she would sometimes hear her talking softly or in hushed menacing tones.

The dreams would usually start off as normal nightmares, but then as time progresses, they would lash at the 'victim' with more excruciating images and haunting visions. Prior to the invasion of Edenia for example, when Sindel had been so shaken that she couldn't speak for days and refused to sleep at nights.

Could the heiress be having visions too? At first she thought it was just normal – simply coincidental to have the same dreams three nights in a row. But now, she was no longer certain. Once she happened to wake up in the middle of the night with a hand tightened around her throat, and was surprised when she blinked to realise that her eyes were already opened.

Edenians, as known, are direct descendents of the Gods. Therefore, it is also known that they differed greatly to other beings; possessing greater affinities with magic, having much longer life expectancies, etc.

But haunting dreams? _Visions _even?

Could the Elder Gods somehow wanted to share something with the princess? Like the way they've done so with the queen? Via chaotic telepathies? Did that only happen to those with greater control of the realm – those who can perhaps make _changes_?

Kitana knew that these things weren't to be taken lightly yet still thought that she should give it a few nights or so to check if her 'theory' was right. If the dreams/ visions didn't stop then she would have to consult someone about it.

Namely Nightwolf.

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><p>A searing bolt slashed at her back and seconds later she was crashed into a nearby tree, almost blacking out from the sudden force. Stumbling back onto her feet, Jade searched frantically for the site of her attacker.<p>

_What the-?_ Surely it couldn't have been Sindel. Havik was the only one they were dealing with so where was he now? Or more importantly, where was Sindel? They were fighting together a minute ago but now her presence within the environs has vanished.

Unless of course, the cleric's brought some more companies with him.

Battle stance straight, senses sharp, brown eyes scanning over green surroundings, staff poised defensively in front, grip tight, searching, ana-

A tap on her shoulder. Warrior instincts kicking in, Jade immediately ducked and slashed her staff behind, willing to hack off the legs of the invader – but was instantly taken back when she noticed the familiar white streaks of long hair that slickly wrapped around her _Bo_, halting it from touching the owner.

Sighing with relief, the tanned warrior shrugged helplessly at the queen. Returning the vague gesture to indicate that she was as confused as her, Sindel pointed at the half destroyed village a couple of metres ahead of their positions, "We should go back in there," she said.

Jade raised a dubious eyebrow but nodded nonetheless – might as well.

"Any signs of Lord Raiden?" Jade asked as they began to sprint towards the ruined, burning entrance of the village.

Sindel shook her head. "No, but he did say that he'd be scanning the other end of this place to search for any survivors."

Jade nodded. About nine hours had passed since the Thunder God had appeared before them at the palace to inform them of a threat in the far eastern area of the realm. Shocking as it was, the fact that Havik was responsible proved the most startling. Though there was no doubt that he intended on causing trouble for the folks there, the obvious question 'why' was arisen. _Why_ _Havik_ of all people?

Nonetheless, the two women had departed as quickly as they could without informing Kitana about the mission – she was too busy training young fighters to be interrupted and doing so could only lead to complications. So being the loyal friend she was, Jade had relayed a brief note to a maid to inform Kitana about their absences.

They would've prepared a small band of soldiers to come along but Raiden was strangely against the idea, insisting that time was of the essence and bringing soldiers would only be a waste of time.

Eventually, just the three of them had arrived at their destination. And as expected, half the village was already in debris. But knowing their places as Edenian royals, their instant reactions were to search for those who had survived.

But of course, none of it was made easy as the cleric of chaos had already seemed to be expecting them. Tutting in mock disappointment, clapping mockingly at their attempts to thwart his plans, chuckling good naturedly at the looks of misery on their faces at the horrid sights, Havik and his small band of warriors spared no time into charging and fighting them, intent on making them suffer the same fates as the unfortunate villagers.

Making quick work of the chaotic group, the two women had realised then that Havik had already vanished from the spot. A 'distraction' was the first thing that they thought of. Nothing happened then until Jade received that mysterious blow. Havik was no doubt playing them as fools.

But what of the Thunder God? Surely, he must've heard the battle cries and clashes of steel from his position. Why didn't he come to their aid? Probably because he had finally located some survivors? Simply because he trusted the Edenians to get the matter sorted out without him?

Well whatever it was, the two female warriors knew that they should keep their guards up. There's no telling of what Havik may be up to now. Aside from the occasional drip dropping of bloods and other fluids or the hissing of flames around them, everything else was too quiet. A silence that one could mistake the place to be deserted, abandoned.

Jade winced as she accidently stepped upon the red squelchy torso of a dead denizen. Millennia of witnessing horror after horror have indeed done nothing to toughen up her reactions towards such sights yet.

"What now?" she asked the senior lady as they stopped; standing on the brink of what was once Prylyn's most noteworthy feature.

"We try to find Raiden?" Sindel enquired rather uncertainly. An uncertainty that left the general slightly shaken. The queen's indecision and ambiguity was not really a positive sign.

"Actually, I was thinking we start scanning the place," Jade said, gazing sadly at the crimson lake ahead. "We've taken care of Havik's men so shouldn't we try searching for anyone who might've survived?"

"I don't think anyone survived," Sindel responded indifferently after a short pause.

Jade stiffened. "Of course they mightn't, but still, shouldn't we _try_?"

Sindel shrugged. Jade narrowed her eyes. The queen wasn't acting her normal self.

"Are you alright, my queen?" she dared to ask.

Sindel started, looking at her as if she had sprouted a foot on her face. "Of course I am. Why ever should I not be?"

"You're very indecisive."

"That's hardly a reason."

"It is to me and I'm quite certain that it also applies to the rest of the Edenians who look up to you."

Sindel paused and then answered. "You're worried Jade. Your tender mind is muddled and I'm quite certain that you're aware of my rapid ageing. My weary mind is steadily dissipating and eventually, the Sindel you have grown used to shall be no more."

Jade tried to search for ways to reason with her but what the queen said made sense. She bowed her head apologetically.

"Whatever thoughts you may be beholding Jade," the queen continued. "Let them not be too judgemental towards me. I must admit, I am relying on you for this mission. Listen to your mind and do what you think is right. Do so and I'll follow _your_ lead."

Jade nodded and felt her insides break. "Yes, my queen."

Sindel smiled a smile which the general didn't return. "Let's try searching for Lord Raiden like you said then. I'm guessing he must've found someone by now."

Sindel nodded. "Where do we start?"

"We'll have to split up."

"Good idea. I'll stay here while you search the other end then?"

"Of course."

And then they were off. A few hours passed and after searching through some huts and fallen buildings, Jade was on the brink of giving up and returning back to Sindel. But she forced herself to continue, despite it seeming like a waste of time now.

Now and then, the black fumes cloaked her and the cracks in the earth caused her to stumble. Her cloth mask didn't help much and her airways clogged with the polluted air.

"_Just where was he?" _she thought, climbing over some more fallen trees in her path.

Then she stopped. Squinting her eyes, she looked up.

Energy renewed, Jade jogged towards a still standing sentry post and instantly used her staff to haul herself into the small window. Crouched low on the creaking plank, the air felt slightly cleaner now that she was at the top. Coughing a bit more to clear her lungs, Jade stood up and searched out of the gap. Spotting the same mess and a few mutilated corpses here and there, everything else seemed indifferent. The place was indeed very quiet.

Then – a loud gasp. Jade suddenly felt a massive prod inside of her. Like as if something was jabbing her soul. She spun around. No one was behind her.

She decided to go onto the roof. Grabbing the wooden edges over her head, she hauled her body upwards till she made it to the top. She placed a hand on her chest. Her heart was beating wildly. She waited for that prod again. It didn't come.

She couldn't see anyone or anything out of the 'ordinary' on the street levels. Anything that could have caused that strange intrusion.

"_Maybe it was just my imagination," _she thought, trying hard to persuade herself. Raiden – she needed to find him fast. Or maybe Sindel had already found him? Drat, they didn't even think of a suitable place to meet up. _"I'll just wait for them outside. After all, I've already done my bit."_

Once on street levels however, Jade – with her magical energy now renewed – slipped out a hidden _senban shuriken_ out from her thick messy bun and proceeded with light steps. She wasn't stupid – she was aware that she was being followed. But by who, she hadn't a clue. Nonetheless, she began to recite a protective spell in case she might feel that strange prod again – even though she was unsure if the spell would even be able to protect her.

After clambering over a massive tree, Jade suddenly paused in her tracks. Her grip on her _Bo _tightened. She held her breath. Her stalker was not so far now.

"Jade."

Another gasp. Jade spun around. Sindel was running towards her. Alone.

"What?" Jade shook her head slightly, perplexed. "You-? What was the point of you being so stealthy?"

Sindel frowned, obviously confused as well. "What do you mean?"

"I thought I felt someone following me but now I suppose it was you."

Sindel shook her head.

"How very strange."

"Indeed."

A pause.

"The mission is a failure, don't you think?" said Jade wretchedly.

"Unfortunately yes," answered the queen.

"Should we head back now?"

"Back to the palace?"

Jade nodded. "Yes. We could bring some of our men this time. To give these folks here proper burials."

"Yes, I suppose we should."

"I'll create a portal then. Can you please watch my back?"

"Yes...of course Jade," replied Sindel slowly.

Jade turned her back on the queen and immediately set to work. Creating portals have never been quick or easy. It required intense concentration and exceptional timing – a simple slipup on a particular spell sequence and the whole process would have to restart all over again. And doing so would mean twice the effort as the first attempt would have ebbed away a great portion of the 'mage's' energy.

A long time has passed but Jade has lost track in the hours and the time of the day. It could be dawn or almost that time as far as she was concerned. She didn't care. This portal was nowhere near finished and she could already feel her energy draining fast. She had to get this done quickly.

Already a few multicoloured lights were pulsing in existence where her hands were moving. Nice. Just a little more push, a few more spells, a few more gestures, an –

The lights vanished. Jade fell to her knees and clutched her chest tightly. Instant agony overwhelmed her. The prodding was back again. Stronger and harsher than before. She gasped loudly. Both in pain and shocked recognition. She knew that feeling all too well. She felt it once before, thousands of years ago, when she fought _him. _

She tried to get up but her knees wouldn't budge. With all her energy drained and her life fast depleting, she knew that she was helpless. She knew that she was now at his mercy – not that he had any to begin with. Either she accepted this fate or not, she knew that this time, her end was nigh.

_But Sindel... Kitana... _

Her eyelids grew heavy. What a very poor way to die. And it was all because she didn't assess her surroundings properly... who would've thought that the great magnificent Jade would die at the hands of Shang Tsung so recklessly...

A hand on her shoulder. Dread filling her, vision blurred, consciousness rapidly shutting down on her, Jade weakly turned her head upwards. Whatever last strength she may have had left quickly disintegrated as newly found shock conquered it...

...before darkness finally consumed her.

_What a very poor way to die indeed..._

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><p><strong><em>AN: _I can't write about such scenes well. My brain's not working well. I'm not feeling well. It's well past my bed time. I'm well exhausted. I don't think I wrote this chapter well. But then again, I haven't written in well over a month. =/  
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**Have a great day - or night, whatever! :) **

**P.S: Sorry if I rushed things. :(**

**P.P.S: Thank you so much Paritheikae for correcting me!  
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**P.P.P.S: Thank you so much for that AWESOME review Mr. Havik! I'll definitely keep them in mind! :D  
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